Acrylic Stems
Acrylic Stems
Can acrylic stems be bent to a desired shape or does it have to be cut/sanded to shape desired shape? Thanks
- Jthompson1995
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Re: Acrylic Stems
Bends just fine with a little heat. Careful not to heat it too much though.
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- baweaverpipes
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Re: Acrylic Stems
Not to be Mr. Smartypants, but how would you drill once "cut/sanded to shape desired shape"?socrates wrote:Can acrylic stems be bent to a desired shape or does it have to be cut/sanded to shape desired shape? Thanks
Yes, the stuff bends.
Many don't like acrylic since it's a tad harder than Ebonite. The plus.........it doesn't oxidize.
- sandahlpipe
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Re: Acrylic Stems
Acrylic is also more brittle than ebonite. I've had a few acrylic stems snap when bending them. Or dropping them.
Re: Acrylic Stems
Pay no attention to Bruce. He is a smartypants.
You have to be careful bending acrylic, because it cools differently than vulcanite. Vulcanite will slowly get less and less flexible as it cools, while acrylic will be flexible and then suddenly, it's not. This can result in your snapping the stem if you try to bend it "just a little more" after it's passed that flexibility stage.
Rad
You have to be careful bending acrylic, because it cools differently than vulcanite. Vulcanite will slowly get less and less flexible as it cools, while acrylic will be flexible and then suddenly, it's not. This can result in your snapping the stem if you try to bend it "just a little more" after it's passed that flexibility stage.
Rad
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Re: Acrylic Stems
Pay not attention to Rod Davies, he's a hillwilliam.
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Re: Acrylic Stems
I've bent thousands without breakage. You're doing it wrong.sandahlpipe wrote:Acrylic is also more brittle than ebonite. I've had a few acrylic stems snap when bending them. Or dropping them.
I've never dropped a pipe. You're handling them wrong.
Categorical statements like "more brittle" apply to neither acrylic nor ebonite/vulcanite. Both have many formulations, and all have different characteristics. You're braining it wrong.
UFOs must be real. There's no other explanation for cats.
- sandahlpipe
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Re: Acrylic Stems
You're right, George. Not gonna argue. I'm just saying I haven't had those issues with ebonite with my faulty methods. I haven't dropped a stem since my hands were numb in the shop last winter. I since acquired diamond grip gloves per your suggestion and have had a much better time with those mistakes. I've also minimized my use of acrylic and been much happier since. Maybe when I feel like learning how to work with each kind of acrylic I will give it another go.
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Re: Acrylic Stems
If I was an alien visiting earth to assess the state of pipe smoking, I would conclude that deliberately making life difficult for themselves was some sort of human need.
"I'm going to spend $3500 on this pipe, the briar of which will last effectively forever, but the stem of which will slowly dissolve before my eyes! I fuckin' INSIST on it! I don't want the better, blacker, cleaner, tasteless alternative anywhere NEAR my pipe, understand?"
As for the "hardness" thing, 1) it's not categorical---there are vulcanite formulations that are damn near like ceramic they're so hard; and 2) the price of "softness" is often metal chip inclusions and little bubble-pockets of unvulcanized rubber dust (aka TANSTAAFL).
"I'm going to spend $3500 on this pipe, the briar of which will last effectively forever, but the stem of which will slowly dissolve before my eyes! I fuckin' INSIST on it! I don't want the better, blacker, cleaner, tasteless alternative anywhere NEAR my pipe, understand?"
As for the "hardness" thing, 1) it's not categorical---there are vulcanite formulations that are damn near like ceramic they're so hard; and 2) the price of "softness" is often metal chip inclusions and little bubble-pockets of unvulcanized rubber dust (aka TANSTAAFL).
UFOs must be real. There's no other explanation for cats.
Re: Acrylic Stems
does it matter how long the stem material will last if untouched? people are just going to gnaw on them anyway.
- sandahlpipe
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Re: Acrylic Stems
If someone wants to buy a pipe from me for $3500 dollars...now there's something I never considered before. Maybe I'd just use a stem blank and charge 10x that amount and glue on some shiny stuff and call it art.
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Re: Acrylic Stems
LatakiaLover wrote: (aka TANSTAAFL).
Is TANSTAAFL the redneck version of TINSTAAFL ?
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Re: Acrylic Stems
It's a Robert Heinlein-ism from the 70's that went semi-mainstream for a while. There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free LunchAlden wrote:LatakiaLover wrote: (aka TANSTAAFL).
Is TANSTAAFL the redneck version of TINSTAAFL ?
"There Ain't No Secha Thing"
UFOs must be real. There's no other explanation for cats.
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Re: Acrylic Stems
The fool proof way is to place stem in container full of salt at 350 degrees for 10 to 15 min. Stem will get very pliable , have a pipe cleaner already in it. Now with light gloves on bend to where you want it then run cool water over it.You can bend it many ways but this one is the right way, God told me so.Those other
guys will give you nightmares.
P.S. if you have some cookies ready then they take the same time, to bake that is.
guys will give you nightmares.
P.S. if you have some cookies ready then they take the same time, to bake that is.
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Re: Acrylic Stems
Those acrylic bubbles are real, totally messed up days of work and no way to get rid of them. When I run out of acrylic then no more.
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Re: Acrylic Stems
Huh?pipedreamer wrote:Those acrylic bubbles are real, totally messed up days of work and no way to get rid of them. When I run out of acrylic then no more.
If induced during bending, you're getting the stuff much too hot.
If they're already there... you must be buying some very low-grade material.
UFOs must be real. There's no other explanation for cats.
Re: Acrylic Stems
I could do cookies and bend my acrylic at the same time? AWESOME!!!pipedreamer wrote:The fool proof way is to place stem in container full of salt at 350 degrees for 10 to 15 min. Stem will get very pliable , have a pipe cleaner already in it. Now with light gloves on bend to where you want it then run cool water over it.You can bend it many ways but this one is the right way, God told me so.Those other
guys will give you nightmares.
P.S. if you have some cookies ready then they take the same time, to bake that is.
Re: Acrylic Stems
Thank you all for the info. Very beneficial and certainly various angles to achieve the end result. It's obvious there are more than one way to skin a cat. All I have to do is find the one best suited for me and my needs.
Again thanks all for your input.
Again thanks all for your input.
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Re: Acrylic Stems
LL was charged hi grade, got low grade==lost customer.
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Re: Acrylic Stems
There are several reasons this is a poor method.pipedreamer wrote:The fool proof way is to place stem in container full of salt at 350 degrees for 10 to 15 min. Stem will get very pliable , have a pipe cleaner already in it. Now with light gloves on bend to where you want it then run cool water over it.You can bend it many ways but this one is the right way,
-- If you heat the stem by itself, you'll have to bend it off the bowl, which will result in an approximation as opposed to a "finely tuned" shape. Also, inadvertently touching/moving the tenon will knock it off square enough there will be a light gap later, no matter how much it reverts to straight when the deflection pressure is removed.
-- If you heat the stem and the bowl together, the tenon will not only bend but stretch when the main portion of the stem is bent. Besides producing a light gap after cooling, the tenon will also be loose. (For those of you who say, "But that's how the factories do it, I've seen the videos!", actually no, it isn't. They all used a box or shield apparatus that causes only the stem to heat---the entire pipe doesn't soak in an oven.)
Using a heat gun is considerably safer, much faster, and allows a more finely-tuned bend. The difference is enough that if I were forced for some reason to use the salt & oven soak method, I'd probably quit repair work. Much slower + induced light gaps + approximate bends would make my head explode with rage-y frustration.
UFOs must be real. There's no other explanation for cats.